GARY Roberts was brainwashed into a sparkling performance on Saturday after Jim Magilton showed him clips of his best moments since joining Ipswich Town.

By Derek Davis

GARY Roberts was brainwashed into a sparkling performance on Saturday after Jim Magilton showed him clips of his best moments since joining Ipswich Town.

The compilation tape proved pivotal as Roberts put in a man of the match performance in the 2-1 win over QPR and is hoping he can maintain that forma t Hull City tonight.

The £220,000 signing from Accrington Stanley has been worried about his dip in form of late and spoke with Magilton about it.

He revealed to the EADT: “I had a couple of meetings with the gaffer before Saturday's game and he has been brilliant. He showed me clips of what I was doing before and that really lifted me.

“The gaffer has shown a lot of faith in me and kept on playing me and that helped lift my confidence.

“I have thought I might be dropped but he has never done that and my showing me those clips it helped me even more.”

Roberts admits his poor form was having a detrimental affect on his form but feels uplifted, especially after setting up both goals against QPR.

“When you are not playing as well as you can then it can play on your mind. I beat myself up when I'm not playing well and all the bad things can weigh you down.

“So my showing the good bits of my game it put a reminder into my mind what I can do and that showed on Saturday because I felt I did okay. I set up two goal and the back heel showed the confidence was back. When the confidence is low you don't try those sorts of things.”

Roberts is expected to play wide tonight in a five man midfield as Town go in search of their first away win since Boxing day at Coventry City.

They are also searching for their first away goal in 2007 and Roberts is hoping he can provide the service for his old Everton idol Francis Jeffers.

With Southend visiting Town on Saturday the Blues are looking to complete a triple over three of the bottom four sides but first need to beat Hull City.

Roberts said: “We need to build on Saturday's win. It was much needed and even though QPR put us under pressure towards the end it was a deserved win.”